Toy fortune-telling device



(No Model.)

A. T. BALLANTINE.

TOY FORTUNE TELLING DEVICE. No. 432,813. Patented July 22, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. BALLANTINE, OF. CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TOY FORTUNE-TELLING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,813, dated July 22, 1890.

Application filed August 9, 1889.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER T. BAL- LANTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Fortune- Telling Devices; and -I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in toy fortune-telling devices; and the invention consists in a device provided with a series of horizontally-arranged parts, some of which bear readings indicative of good or evil fortune, and other parts constructed to cover the inscriptions, except those disclosing the fortune in each particular case, the same to be ascertained by naming certain numbers on a dial and moving the rotating parts with respect to said numbers, all as shown and clescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device separated into its several parts, and said parts arranged in the order in which they are connected for use. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the device in operative condition with the head of the operating-button cut off and parts of the several disks broken away at the left to disclose their position in relation to one another. This device is designed with a view to having a fortune-teller capable of a large and varied range of possible combinations of fortunes as expressed in the readings suitable to different ages and sexes and involving enough of chance and mystery to render it popular for amusement, as well as being so constructed that its operation issimple and easily understood.

To this end the invention consists, primarily, in card or plate 2, preferably rectangw lar in shape, though it may be circular like the other parts, and forming the foundation, base, or body, on which the other cards are supported. It maybe stated here that all the several cards, sheets, or disks of which the device is built are made of suitable cardboard or heavy paper, or of both, as this tends Serial No. 320,227. (No model.)

to lightness and cheapness; but any other suitable material may be used for any or all of said parts. As here shown, allbut the main card 2 are preferably disk shape, and all are arranged one upon the other above the card 2 and on the button, as hereinafter explained. The button has a stem or spindle 4, which projects through said several parts, a flange 5, on which they rest, and head 6 for convenience in turning the button to operate the device.

In building up the device, I first of all place a pointer or finger 7 on the button. This finger has a perforated head which fits over spindle 4 and is glued to the flange 5 or otherwise fastened to turn with the button. The card 2 has a dial 011 its outer side, subdivided, as here shown, into ten equal spaces, numbered from 1 to 10 consecutively. Next above the finger 7 comes the main card 2, with an opening in which the button is free to turn. In operation the card 2 is held by one hand and the button is turned by the other hand, so that in all cases the card 2 and all that is attached to it may be regarded as.

stationary and that which turns with the button as movable. From this point upward we have both character of parts. 'Thus, first above card 2 is a washer 8, which is secured to card 2 by adhesive material, so as to remain firm therewith. Above washer 8 is a disk 9 with a central opening just large enough to fit over and turn around the washer 8 as a center. Next above disk 9 is a disk 10, which is pasted, glued, or otherwise adhered or fixed to the washer 8, and hence is stationary therewith and with the card 2 at the bottom of the pile. This disk has an opening made to fit the spindle 4, and above it and fastened to said disk is a second washer 11. The disk 12 next above is fitted with an opening to turn around the Washer 11, like the disk 9 on washer 8, and the disk 13 next above is fastened to washer 11 by paste or otherwise. Last of all, at the top ofthe pile a disk 14, preferably fastened to the extremity of the stem 4 by pins or tacks 15, so as to turn therewith, and a star pasted over all to give finish. to the work. In this arrangement it will be observed that every alternate disk, beginning with card 2, is stationary, and

that the other disks, or 9, 12, and 14, are free to be turned. Now, in order that said disks may be turned or rotated in the manner and order required to effect the desired results,

the upper disk 14, which is fastened to stem 4, is provided with a finger 16, made of small wire and projecting beyond the periphery of the disk, and the disk 12 has stud 17 on its face, with which said finger engages when the disk carrying the finger is rotated in either direction. A similar finger 18 is placed on disk 12 to engage a stud 19 on disk 9, and so it occurs that by turning the button around in either direction one complete revolution will catch the stud 17 and carry disk 12 around, and a second complete revolution will catch stud 19 and its disk 9, and thus all three of the rotatable disks will be locked to turn with the button.

Each of the stationary cards, disks, or plates 2, 10, and 13, on exactly the same radial lines and corresponding to the subdivisions of space on the dial, have fortune-readings printed on their face. These three cards are graduated in diameter so that there will be a circular outside margin on each, as seen in dotted lines a b, Fig. 2, on which the reading can be printed without being overlapped by the succeeding card above. A corresponding graduation occurs in the size of the revolving disks, which are made to overlap and conceal the readings of the printed card next beneath. Then, in order that a single reading on each of the three stationary cards can be made at a time and no more, a recess 20, having the width and depth substantially of a reading on the card beneath, is made in the edge of each of the rotating cards. These recesses likewise are cut in corresponding lines radiating from the center so that three readings on three different cards can be exposed between the same lines or different readings on difierent lines, the exposure in any case depending on the positions of the coveringeards. The recesses 20 of course narrow in width as they come nearer the center, and there is a corresponding narrowing of the readings. Each fortune consists of three readingsone on each fixed card or disk-and with nine readings on each card not fewer than ninety different combinations are possible. The cards can be made larger or smaller, and following out the principle of construction on which the device is built, a fewer or a greater number of cards can be used. The stationary cards 10 and 13, preferably, are made of heavy paper instead of card-board.

The operation is as follows: Suppose a party desiring his fortune to be told chooses the numbers 2, 9, and 5. Holding the side with the dial toward you, turn the pointer three full revolutions to the right from any given point and then turn forward and stop on the first number chosen, which in this instance is 2; second, turn the pointer to the left to the second number chosen, (9,) and turn in same direction around to the same number again and stop; third, turn the pointer to the right to the last number chosen and stop. The device may then be reversed and the fortune read on the opposite side. Always stop exactly on the numbers chosen. In this operation the lower card 9 is first left in position and thecards 12 and,14 in succession. Anynumbers between 1 and 10 may be chosen. The start may be made from any point on the dial.

The terms cards, disks, plates, sheets, and the like used herein are to be understood as synonymous and as covering the several parts 2, 9, 10, 12,13, and 14 or their equivalents, regardless of shape or the material from which they are made. The material, for example, might be card-board, heavy paper, straw-board, wood, (plain or veneer,) sheet'metal, or the like, and the shape might be anything within the range of fancy; but the material and the shape are non-essential.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let: ters Patent, is

1. A suitable base and a series of cards or disks arranged on said base one above the other, the alternate cards or disks being stationary with the base and the others rotatable, and a spindle common to said parts, substantially as set forth.

2. In a toy, a base-support and a series of cards stationary therewith, movable cards between said stationary cards, and a device to turn said movable cards, substantially as set forth.

3. A base-plate provided with a dial and a pointer on one side thereof, a spindle passing through said plate, and both stationary and rotatable cards or disks arranged thereon the one over the other on the side of the baseplate opposite said dial, substantially as set forth. 7

4. In a toy,a series of stationary cards one above the other, a series of movable cards between said stationary cards, and a button having a spindle through which the movable cards are rotated, substantially as set forth.

5. A series of fixed cards of graduated diameter arranged one above the other and having readings on their face, a series of movable cards of graduated diameter between said fixed cards provided with notches or recesses, and means to rotatethe movable cards, substantially as set forth.

6. In a toy fortune-teller, a base-plate provided with a dial and a pointer for said dial, with a series of stationary cards of graduallyreduced diameter having readings, a series of covering-cards between said stationary cards having recesses through which the readings are taken, and means to turn said recessed cards, substantially as set forth.

7. In a toy fortune-teller, a base plate or card having a dial on one side and a spindle carrying a pointer for said dial, in combination with a series of cards of gradually-re -IIO duced diameter fixed to said base, a series of movable cards of gradually-reduced diameter between said stationary cards, and projections for locking one movable card with another, substantially as set forth.

8. A spindle provided with a pointer fixed to turn therewith and a base plate or card having a dial on the side with said pointer, in combination with a series of rotating cards on the spindle, a series of stationary cards between said rotating cards, and catches -to engage the rotatable cards one with another, substantially as set forth.

9. A base-piece having a dial on one side and a spindle carrying a pointer for said dial, in combination with a series of fixed and rotatable cards arranged alternately on the spindle on the opposite side of said basepiece from the dial, the rotatable cards having recesses through which portions of the fixed cards are exposed, substantially as described.

10. A base-piece with a dial and a spindle with a pointer for said dial, in combination with a series of stationary cards on the spindle having Washers fastened thereto, and a series of movable cards on the spindle between said fixed cards and revolving around the said washers on a plane therewith, substantially as described.

11. In combination, a button having a spindle, as 4, a shoulder, as 5, and a pointer seated on said shoulder, a base-piece set loosely on said spindle, and a series of cards secured to said base-piece by washers, as 8 and 11, a series of rotatable cards, and catches to engage said cards with one another, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 5th day of August, 1889.

ALEXANDER T. BALLANTINE.

VVit'nesses:

IRENE L.- COREY, H. T. FRISTEN. 

